Rheumatoid Foot and Ankle Reconstruction Surgery

Rheumatoid foot and ankle reconstruction surgery consists of a variety of reconstructive surgeries to correct damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis of the foot and ankle. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that attacks joints all over the body, causing inflammation and debilitating pain. The inflammation can become so severe that it begins to deform the appearance and function of the body parts it affects. It most often begins in the small joints of the hands and feet.

When rheumatoid arthritis affects the foot and ankle, many painful symptoms can result. This disease can prevent the lower extremities from functioning properly and hinder walking and balance which, in turn, sets the stage for other painful conditions such as arch collapse, hammer toe, bunions and calluses.

Types of Rheumatoid Foot and Ankle Reconstruction Surgery
Rheumatoid foot and ankle reconstruction aims to correct the painful side effects of rheumatoid arthritis of the foot and ankle. Types of rheumatoid foot and ankle reconstruction surgery include:

Rheumatoid Ankle Reconstruction

Fusion – This procedure involves removing the cartilage from the affected joint in the ankle, then aligning the surrounding bones to prepare for fusion with the joint. Metal screws and plates are used to fix the bones together and prevent them from movement as the bones fuse together over time.

Ankle replacement – During this type of rheumatoid ankle reconstruction, the surgeon completely removes the damaged ankle joint and reshapes the remaining bones with a surgical tool. The surgeon then inserts an artificial joint to attach to the reshaped bones. Sometimes bone cement is used to hold the bones in place. Metal screws and bone graft are then applied in order to fuse the bones to the artificial joint in the ankle.

Rheumatoid Hind-foot Reconstruction

Fusion –This is the most common type of rheumatoid foot reconstruction surgery used to repair the problems associated with rheumatoid arthritis of the foot. Surgery consists of fusing one or more of the three joints in the hind-foot region. If only the subtalar joint is being fused, then one incision will be made on the outside of the foot below the ankle. Double and triple fusion will require an extra incision to be made on the inside of the foot. After the surgeon removes the damaged cartilage and aligns the joints and bones properly, metal screws are inserted to keep the bones in place while they fuse.

Rheumatoid Mid-foot Reconstruction

Fusion – This is the most common procedure to reconstruct the bones of the mid-foot section of the foot. The surgery involves fusion of one or more of the joints in the mid-foot section. Sometimes all of the joints in the midfoot need to be fused together. The surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage, realign the bones properly and insert metal fixations to keep the bones in place as they heal together. There are artificial joint replacement implants that can be used only for the outer joints of the midfoot, if applicable.

Rheumatoid Forefoot Reconstruction

When the forefoot section is affected by rheumatoid arthritis, many deformities can result, including bunions, calluses and hammer toe. Common rheumatoid foot reconstruction surgeries used to correct the various complications in the forefoot are:

Hoffman procedure – During this procedure, all the metatarsal heads are removed to eliminate the bony bumps formed on the great toe joint caused by hammer toe. This surgery is usually combined with fusion (arthrodesis) or arthroplasty to eliminate any complications caused by arthritis.

Fusion – The surgeon fuses together one or more of the affected joints n the forefoot region. The damaged cartilage is removed, the bones are realigned and metal fixations are inserted to keep the bones in place while they fuse together.

Arthroplasty – The surgeon removes pieces of bone on either side of the middle joint of the rheumatoid toe. This will allow toes suffering from hammer toe to straighten out properly once again.

The multidisciplinary team of orthopaedic experts at North Shore-LIJ Orthopaedic Institute'sFoot & Ankle Services in New York performs rheumatoid foot and ankle reconstruction as well as a broad range of nonsurgical and surgical treatments for conditions that affect the foot and ankle.

Rehabilitation Services
The Rehabilitation Network of the North Shore-LIJ Health System is dedicated to providing you and your family with result-oriented, comprehensive rehabilitation services. Our goal is to help you and your loved ones find relief from pain and get moving again after an accident, illness, injury or surgery. We’re your partner in a safe, healthy, more rapid recovery.